The Cookstr Weekly: Dinner Under 30! Meals Made in Half an Hour or Less

Is it possible to have a dinner recipe that’s ready too quickly? Especially in the busy months between summer and the winter holidays, weeknight dinners can be one of the first priorities to fall through the cracks. These dinner recipes are here to the rescue, all done in 30 minutes or less. While we certainly love improvised pastas and toss-it-all-in-a-pot soups, we’re serving up a batch of recipes that prioritize speed while maintaining a little polish. Andrew Chase’s recipe for Grilled Salmon with Ginger and Green Onion Relish takes advantage of how quickly salmon steaks turn crispy and tender after a few minutes in a grill pan or under the broiler. A spicy Chinese sauce of sesame oil, Szechuan pepper, red chilies and coriander seals the deal.

“Set it and forget it” – it’s hard to argue with the sheer convenience of hands-off slow cooker meals. But the long and slow method doesn’t mean you need to end up with a pile of single-textured, brown meat-and-veggie mush. Anupy Singla’s Lamb Biryani makes use of the slow cooker to create deeply flavorful, fork-tender meat that pairs perfectly with the seasoned basmati rice. Anupy writes, “The first time I made lamb biryani, I immediately thought of shepherd’s pie and that this is the South Asian version of that dish, with rice replacing the potatoes. The combination of rice, meat, and vegetables in one makes this dish comforting, delicious, and convenient.”

“My son, Alex, is the family’s official Baker of the Cinnamon Roll, a title he carries with pride and a level of responsibility and enthusiasm. The tender rolls are moist and buttery, and they make a perfect vehicle for the swirled cinnamon-sugar filling.

“When I’m baking for the holidays, I double this dough recipe, shape half of it into dinner rolls and make the other half into these cinnamon-laden breakfast treats. Come holiday time, both are welcome indulgences.”